Department for Transport

Railways

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the next (1) Rail Network Enhancement Pipeline, and (2) Integrated Rail Plan.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: We continue to develop and deliver rail enhancement schemes under the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline, using the significant funding provided to the railway. We have confirmed that we intend to publish this in a new Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline Update and will do so as soon as possible. We intend to publish the IRP this spring

Aviation: Renewable Fuels

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to undertake a consultation on mechanisms to support (1) the development, and (2) the uptake, of sustainable aviation fuels; and whenthey plan to launch any such consultation.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government is committed to supporting the development and uptake of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in the UK. SAF supply is currently rewarded under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), and £20m has been made available to support the development of SAF and HGV fuel projects under the Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition. In addition, as set out in the Prime Minister’s Ten-Point Plan speech to Build Back Greener, the Government has announced measures designed to support SAF further; these include £15m for a new SAF industry competition, £3m to set up a SAF clearing house and a commitment to consult on a SAF blending mandate. Work has already begun to explore how a mandate may work in practice and it is expected that a consultation will be published later this year. In addition, we are continuing to analyse the need for further demand-side measures and business models that address price risk.

Bicycles: Disability

Baroness Barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to subsidise non-standardcycles for disabled people in line with existing subsidies for accessible motor vehicles.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: It is essential that as wide a range of people as possible, have the opportunity to take up cycling, in all its forms. The Government is aware that the costs of non-standard cycles can be a barrier for many disabled people. In July 2020 the Prime Minister launched ambitious plans to boost cycling and walking in England, including a commitment to increasing access to e-cycles (including adapted e-cycles) by setting up a new national e-cycle support programme, to help those who are older, have to travel longer distances or are less able to take up pedal cycling. Adapted and non-standard cycles can already be hired through the Cycle to Work scheme, which means that disabled people in employment are able to access them at a significant discount. The Department will keep under review the case for further support for adapted and non-standard bicycles.

Air Pollution: Complaints

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 20 November 2020 (HL10409), what organisation is responsible for dealing with complaints resulting from the annual air quality report produced by local authorities in England.

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 20 November 2020 (HL10411), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what steps citizens can take to ensure that local authorities are reviewing air quality.

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 20 November 2020 (HL10411), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what steps citizens can take to ensure that local authorities are reviewing air quality.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Local authorities have a statutory duty to review and assess air quality in their areas. Local authorities will determine what monitoring is necessary and decide where monitoring takes place with regard to statutory Local Air Quality Management guidance. Under the Local Air Quality Management Framework local authorities are expected to produce and publish annual air quality status reports which are to be submitted annually to Defra. Defra assesses these annual status reports and expects local authorities to take any comments or requirements made by Defra into account. Local authorities are primarily responsible to their local electorates and will have their own complaints processes. Citizens with concerns or complaints about the way in which a local authority undertakes local air quality statutory duties are therefore advised to raise the issue with the local authority. Ultimately a local authority failing to fulfil statutory duties could be taken to court by interested parties. If a local authority fails to discharge its statutory air quality duties set out in the Environment Act 1995 the Secretary of State of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has the power to direct a local authority to take such steps as may be specified in the directions.

Aviation: Coronavirus

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they haveto providethe Civil Aviation Authority with increased powers, including theability to issue fines, to tackleproblems faced by consumers in obtaining refunds on booked flights following travel restrictions imposed due tothe COVID-19pandemic.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Government is considering the Civil Aviation Authority’s enforcement powers to strengthen consumer protections. The Competition and Markets Authority are reviewing airlines’ handling of refunds to consumers during the pandemic.

Airlines: Fares

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend the rules on how airlines hold customer payments so thatpayments cannot be accessedby the airlines until the flight takes place.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government is keeping under review the scope and timing of any future reforms in this policy area. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a number of challenges, and we will work with the regulator and industry to learn lessons and make changes that are pragmatic and deliverable.

Aviation: Coronavirus

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have toundertake a review of aviation policy following the COVID-19 pandemic; and if any such review will include taxation of aviation.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: As announced on 22 February 2021, as part of the roadmap for the phased lifting of restrictions in England, the Secretary of State for Transport will now lead a successor to the Global Travel Taskforce to develop a framework that can facilitate greater international travel when the time is right, while still managing the risk from imported cases and variants. In addition, the Government is developing a strategic framework on the recovery of the aviation sector, in response to the impact presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government has recently confirmed that the consultation on aviation tax reform, announced at Budget 2020, will be published in Spring 2021.

Aviation

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what steps they are taking following the 2019 consultation on the future of aviation.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The 2019 consultation on the Future of Aviation took place before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the impact presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government is developing a new forward looking strategic framework which will focus on the recovery of the aviation sector. It will explore the return to growth of the aviation sector, which will include consideration of workforce and skills, regional connectivity, noise, innovation and regulation, and consumer issues. We will also consider climate change and decarbonisation. We aim to publish this framework later this year.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Small Businesses: Sustainable Development

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage small and medium-sized businesses to develop sustainability strategies.

Lord Callanan: Later this year, the UK’s Net Zero Business Champion, my Hon. Friend the Member for Arundel and South Downs (Andrew Griffith MP), will lead the Together for Our Planet (TFOP) Small Business campaign. The campaign, aimed at the UK’s 1.4 million small businesses, will enhance awareness of climate change and net zero, while encouraging them to pledge to take specific actions to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. Examples of the latter might include pledging to switch a commercial van to an electric vehicle, supporting employees to cycle to work or moving to a more local supplier.

Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) value, and (2) number, ofCoronavirus Large Business Interruption Loans made through Greensill Capital or its subsidiaries and associates; what is the (a) value, and(b) number, which were at annual interest rates of 14.9 per cent or higher; and what the reasons are for Greensill having now been withdrawn from the list of government approved lenders.

Lord Callanan: Greensill Capital were approved by the British Business Bank (the Bank) in June last year to provide finance through the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS). All accredited lenders are subject to audit by the Bank to ensure their compliance with scheme rules. If serious non-compliance is identified, the Bank is entitled to take remedial action. Such action might include termination of the Guarantee Agreement or withdrawal of the Guarantee. It would not be appropriate to comment on individual cases given commercial sensitivities. We are unable to provide of a breakdown of CLBILS data by lender as this is commercially sensitive.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the factors which they consider will most limit the roll outofthe Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine at scale; and what such factors they have identified.

Lord Bethell: We have invested over £300 million towards manufacturing and deploying successful vaccines in the United Kingdom, including ensuring we have adequate provision, transportation, personal protective equipment, and logistical expertise to do so.All vaccines will present different logistical requirements, but the National Health Service has planned for all eventualities, including securing additional fridges to support the deployment of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine.

Care Homes: Mortality Rates

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the difference in mortality rates for residents of care homes which are owned (1) by private equity, (2) privately, and (3) on a not for profit basis.

Lord Bethell: We do not hold information on the ownership status of care homes therefore no such assessment has been made.

Gender Recognition: Children

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to discourage the sale of (1) puberty blockers, and (2) cross-sex hormones, over the internet to children who do not have (a) a prescription, or (b) parental permission.

Lord Bethell: We would expect all registered pharmacies and pharmacists to meet the regulatory standards set by the General Pharmaceutical Council or the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland when considering dispensing any lawfully valid prescription. This includes puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.The Department has agreed with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to investigate changes to regulations that would allow the CQC to take enforcement action against online healthcare providers.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have identified any correlation between the number of deaths of care home residents and the number of care home (1) staff, and (2) residents, who decide not to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

Lord Bethell: No such correlation has been identified. Public Health England is investigating outbreaks in care homes which have occurred since the start of the vaccination programme to inform our understanding of the impact of vaccination in social care settings. Studying the relationship between numbers or percentage of staff or residents vaccinated and deaths from COVID-19 will be challenging as the number of deaths are falling as a result of falling COVID-19 infections in the general population.

Patient Choice Schemes

The Lord Bishop of London: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that Patient Initiated Follow Up does not create barriers for deprived and excluded patients to access NHS care.

Lord Bethell: The decision to place a patient on a Patient Initiated Follow Up (PIFU) pathway will be taken jointly by the patient and a clinician when the clinician identifies a patient who would benefit from accessing care in this way. The decision will always be based on a patient’s individual needs and circumstances, ensuring it is in the patient’s best interests.The Outpatient Transformation Programme provides ongoing advice and support to systems and providers implementing PIFU. This includes continuous improvement and identifying any risks, such as those relating to health inequalities and exclusion and working to provide resolution/guidance on how to address them. As part of this national support offer, resources have been made available that encourage systems and providers to develop and regularly review their Equality Health Impact Assessments in relation to PIFU.

Abortion: Drugs

Baroness Stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Care on 16 February (151601 and 150684), what consideration the Human Tissue Authority gave to the ethics of the home use of abortion pills, approved in March 2020; and what assessment that Authority has made of the impact of at home abortions on (a) sewage and (b) non-recyclable waste systems.

Lord Bethell: It is not within the Human Tissue Authority’s remit to consider the ethics of the home use of abortion pills or to make any assessment of the impact on sewage and non-recyclable waste systems.

Care Homes: Coronavirus

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of theInfection Control Fund allocated to local authorities that has been used by residential care homes to ensure that staff who are isolating in line with COVID-19 guidance experience no loss of income.

Lord Bethell: The Department is still assuring the information that local authorities have provided on the final expenditure against the initial fund, which ran from May to September 2020. However, on 27 July, we published data that shows that 18.7% of the funding spent by 23 July was allocated to paying staff to self-isolate following a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, totalling over £47 million.

Education and Health Services: Air Pollution

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for standardising professional high-efficiency particulate air purifiers used in healthcare and education settings.

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have considered the deployment of professional high-efficiency particulate air purifiers as part of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and if not, why not.

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have considered the deployment of professional high-efficiency particulate air purifiers as part of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and if not, why not.

Lord Bethell: The infection prevention control principles within current National Health Service guidance are applicable to all healthcare settings. The key principle of ventilation is to dilute COVID-19 through air changes and both air extraction and fresh air supply can be used to achieve this.

Care Homes and Hospitals: DNACPR Decisions

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether there has been any inappropriate use of do not attempt resuscitationorders in (1) hospitals, and (2) care homes, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Bethell: In October 2020, the Department asked the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to review how Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions were used throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and whether they had been inappropriately applied. Interim findings were published on 3 December 2020, with a final report due shortly. The review will take a national view of how these decisions were made across all health and care settings and will inform national learning and good practice development.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to encourage nurses who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 to receive such vaccinations; and when they estimate all nurses will be vaccinated.

Lord Bethell: Nurses will continue to be offered the vaccine beyond mid-February, which includes invitations for the second dose. Information on vaccinating staff has been shared across the healthcare system briefing employers to ensure their staff are offered, and book appointments for, the vaccine. While it is the responsibility of individual employers to arrange for their staff to be vaccinated, the National Health Service (NHS) has now also opened the National Booking Service to ensure that it is as easy as possible for nurses and other frontline health and social care workers, particularly those working outside the NHS, to access the vaccine. Staff using this service will be asked when booking to self-certify that they are eligible and will be told to take proof of their employment to their appointment at a vaccination centre or pharmacy-led site. Local NHS employers are using tried and tested methods to encourage take-up within their organisations, based on the annual flu campaign This includes the provision of specific staff campaign materials; extensive engagement by senior nursing figures, such as Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England who regularly endorses and appeals for nurses to book vaccine appointments on behalf of the profession; and targeted engagement with nurses from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds designed to address queries as well as encouraging new international nurses to book appointments too. There is also ongoing information shared on social media for healthcare workers with staff and high profile health professionals sharing their vaccine stories.

Coronavirus: Screening

Earl Attlee: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 10 December (HL10847), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, whether the operational false positive rate for polymerase chain reaction COVID-19 tests is regularly determined by inserting samples into the system that cannot be positive; and what is the false positive rate for such samples.

Lord Bethell: Information regarding the assessment of false positives was not held in the format requested due to the challenges in estimating clinical sensitivity. This is part due to a lack of a generally accepted reference standard to compare reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction results.   Currently samples are not placed into the system to test operational sensitivity. The Department has undertaken substantial work with Porton Down and the Milton Keynes Lighthouse Laboratory to conduct temperature and long-term stability experiments on sample collection kits to ensure swabs meet an appropriate standard for testing.

Exercise

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage (1) cycling, (2) walking, and (3) other forms of exercise.

Lord Bethell: The Government has launched ambitious plans to boost cycling and walking, with the aim that half of all journeys in towns and cities are cycled or walked by 2030. There are various programmes to encourage people to walk more, including the Walk to School initiative and Bikeability training available to all school children. Last year, the Government launched the Better Health campaign to encourage a healthier lifestyle, including a free walking app designed to encourage adults to go for a brisk 10-minute walk.Nearly £4.5 million is being invested in social prescribing which allows general practitioners to refer patients to various activities including working on allotments and dancing classes.

National Institute for Health Protection: Public Appointments

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 18 November (HL7591), when the recruitment process for a permanent Chair of the National Institute of Health Protection began; and when it will conclude.

Lord Bethell: The Cabinet Office launched the advertisement for the permanent Chair of the National Institute of Heath Protection on 2 March which closes on 9 March. Further stages of the recruitment process are pending the outcome of the advertisement.

Injuries

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to thepaper by Julian Guest et al Cohort study evaluating the burden of wounds to the UK’s NHS in 2017/18: update from 2012/13, published in the British Medical Journal on 22 December 2020, what plans they have to makestructural changes to the NHS to improve the outcomes of patients with a wound.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the paper by Julian Guest et al Cohort study evaluating the burden of wounds to the UK’s NHS in 2017/18: update from 2012/13, published in the British Medical Journal on 22 December 2020,what steps they are taking to address the finding that "the annual prevalence of wounds increased by 71 per cent between 2012/2013 and 2017/2018".

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the paper by Julian Guest et al Cohort study evaluating the burden of wounds to the UK’s NHS in 2017/18: update from 2012/13, published in the British Medical Journal on 22 December 2020,what steps they are taking to address the finding that "the annual prevalence of wounds increased by 71 per cent between 2012/2013 and 2017/2018".

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the paper by Julian Guest et al Cohort study evaluating the burden of wounds to the UK’s NHS in 2017/18: update from 2012/13, published in the British Medical Journal on 22 December 2020, what steps they are taking to address the annual cost to the NHS of wound care.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the paper by Julian Guest et al Cohort study evaluating the burden of wounds to the UK’s NHS in 2017/18: update from 2012/13, published in the British Medical Journal on 22 December 2020, what steps they are taking to address the annual cost to the NHS of wound care.

Lord Bethell: The National Wound Care Strategy Programme (NWCSP) was commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement and launched in September 2018 to scope the development of a wound care national strategy for England that focuses on improving care relating to pressure ulcers, lower limb ulcers and surgical wounds. It addresses unwarranted variation in United Kingdom wound care services by proposing a move towards clinical pathways that flow across different provider organisations to better meet the needs of patients.This will improve patient care through quicker diagnosis and access to appropriate treatment, leading to improved healing rates and reduced recurrence rates. Better healing and reduced recurrence will reduce overall prevalence of wounds, patient suffering, expenditure on inappropriate and ineffective treatments and the amount of clinical time spent on wound care. This will reduce the overall annual cost of wound care to the National Health Service. In the last 12 months, the NWCSP has audited the quality of care in secondary care pressure ulcer patients and published lower limb recommendations alongside a case for implementation. The surgical wounds recommendations have been finalised and are being published ahead of the implementation strategy. In 2021 the NWCSP will move into implementation while continuing to develop the resources and evidence to support this work.

Nutrition: Health Education

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote healthy eating.

Lord Bethell: Public Health England (PHE) promotes a healthy balanced diet based on the United Kingdom’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide, through a variety of online channels. PHE has three public-facing campaigns that promote healthy eating: Better Health, Change4Life and Start4Life.In summer 2020, PHE launched the Better Health marketing campaign. The campaign directs millions of people to a range of free evidence-based tools and advice on how to take simple steps to adopt healthier eating habits and lose weight. For example, the NHS 12 Week Weight Loss Plan app helps people to develop healthier eating habits, get more active and lose weight. The Change4Life and Start4Life campaigns support families with simple healthy eating messaging including recipes and healthy snacks.

Department for Education

Pupils: Coronavirus

Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of impact of false positive results from a COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test on the number of children who will not be permitted to attend school.

Baroness Berridge: The department has confidence in the value and accuracy of lateral flow tests. The tests are highly specific, with low chances of false positives. More than 130 types of lateral flow devices (LFDs) have been assessed and over 20,000 evaluations completed. Results indicate that LFDs are effective at detecting COVID-19 in an individual and registering an appropriate positive result, including for the current variants. The speed and convenience of the tests supports the detection of the virus in asymptomatic individuals, who would not otherwise have been tested. LFD tests are approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency for home use. The Government has temporarily removed confirmatory PCR testing for Lateral Flow Tests taken at test sites, such as those situated in some workplaces, universities, secondary schools and colleges. This follows advice from Public Health England that, when COVID-19 prevalence rates are high, the performance of lateral flow devices and PCRs are broadly comparable when used at test sites, significantly reducing the need for routine confirmatory testing. In line with clinical advice, confirmatory PCR testing will remain in place, for pupils, students, and staff for whom testing is done at home to reduce the risk of false positives.

Children's Social Care Independent Review

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria were used to select the Experts by Experience Group for the independent review of children’s social care; who assessed the applications; and who comprised the interview panel for those shortlisted for interview.

Baroness Berridge: Following an open expression of interest process the review has now established an Experts by Experience Board.The Review received 1,011 applications to join the board, and the panel assessed every application and has appointed a small number of individuals that met the criteria detailed in the Expression of Interest application:1. Have lived experienced of the children’s social care system, whether current or previous, through:• interaction with a social worker as a child• personal experience in care• the family of a child who has interacted with a social worker• the family of a child who has been placed in care2. Are comfortable contributing respectfully alongside people who may have had verydifferent experiences to their own.3. Have the ability to communicate views about children’s social care clearly andconcisely, and also the views of others with experience of children’s social care.The Experts by Experience Board was appointed by Josh MacAlister, chair of the independent review. Josh asked Shazia Hussain (head of the review team) and Jenny Molloy (care leaver and author) to assist him reviewing all applications that were received, and Duncan Dunlop (former CEO of Who Cares? Scotland and independent panel member) also assisted with conducting interviews.The application criteria and information regarding the assessment process for the Experts by Experience Group is also publicly available on the independent review of children’s social care’s website, located here: https://childrenssocialcare.independent-review.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/EoE-2.pdf.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Education Policy Institute, Measuring the disadvantage gap in 16–19 education, published on 1 March; and what steps they are taking to reduce the A-Level attainment gap of disadvantaged students.

Baroness Berridge: Promoting good educational outcomes for disadvantaged children and young people is a key priority for the government. We carefully consider evidence that helps to achieve this and will take note of the findings of this report by the Education Policy Institute.This report concludes that, while there is a gap in attainment between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged young people by age 16, this gap widens further in 16-19 education. We already have specific initiatives to support the attainment of disadvantaged children and young people at each stage and will continue to seek to improve the effectiveness of these policies.The national funding formula (NFF) for schools provides significant extra funding for schools that have more pupils with additional needs, using measures of deprivation and low prior attainment. Through the NFF in financial year 2021-22 we will provide a total of £6.4 billion targeted at schools with higher numbers of pupils with additional needs, including deprivation.Since 2011 we have also been providing extra funding - £2.4 billion this financial year alone - through the pupil premium for school leaders to narrow the disadvantage attainment gap for young people before they turn 16 and enter college or sixth form.The NFF for 16-19 year olds includes extra funding for disadvantaged students which is provided to institutions specifically for students with low prior attainment, or who live in the most disadvantaged areas. In academic year 2020/2021, we have allocated over £530 million to enable colleges, schools and other providers to support, attract and retain disadvantaged 16 to 19 year olds and to support students with special education needs and disabilities. We show separately how well disadvantaged students are achieving at 16-19 in published school and college performance data, to encourage a focus on helping these young people make the best possible progress.We encourage schools and colleges to use the most effective approaches to support the attainment of disadvantaged young people and set up the Education Endowment Foundation to gather and disseminate evidence on this.

Children's Social Care Independent Review

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to reply to the joint letters of 5 and 18 February sent by Article 39 to the Secretary of State for Education concerning the independent review of children’s social care.

Baroness Berridge: I can confirm that a response has been sent to the letters dated 5 and 18 February from Article 39.

Children's Social Care Independent Review: Public Appointments

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many days per week the Chair of the independent review of children’s social care has been contracted to work; and what is his remuneration.

Baroness Berridge: In line with the department’s usual contracting process to secure value for money, the fees paid to the Chair of the independent review of children’s social care, Josh MacAlister, were benchmarked against the fees the department has paid to previous independent reviewers, children’s services commissioners, and external contractors with a similar level of skills and experience. The Chair’s fees and number of days per week are matters subject to standard commercial confidentiality considerations, in line with usual contracting practice.The Chair’s contract has been published as part of the department’s regular transparency returns on the government’s online contracts register, available here: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/5d832563-20b0-42f2-ba00-55c11a5dd9b3?origin=SearchResults&p=1.

Out-of-school Education: Closures

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of unregistered schools which have closeddown and reformed into home education hubs.

Baroness Berridge: Some educational settings may have changed their operations to support home educating parents. Unregistered schools are illegal, however, under the Education and Skills Act 2008; accordingly, they do not advertise their presence to the Department for Education. We cannot, therefore, estimate the number of previously unregistered schools which have closed down and reformed into home education hubs.All settings which provide full-time education to five or more pupils, one child with an education, health and care plan (EHCP), or one child who is ‘looked after’ by a local authority, must be registered as a school even if this provision is only a temporary measure to support home-educating parents while in-person attendance at schools was restricted. It is an offence to conduct any independent setting which offers full-time education to five or more pupils, one child with an EHCP, or one child who is ‘looked after’ by a local authority.​The Department for Education and Ofsted continue to investigate any settings where intelligence or evidence suggest the operation of an unregistered school.

David Miller

Lord Austin of Dudley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statements by Professor David Miller about Jewish students; and what discussions they have had with (1) the University of Bristol, and (2) the police, about the steps being taken to ensure the safety of such students.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The government abhors antisemitism in all its forms and has for several years pushed for greater action from higher education providers in addressing it. This has included encouraging them to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, in order to have universal clarity of what constitutes antisemitic behaviour.The government expects universities and other higher education providers to comply with their legal duties on discrimination and harassment, as well as their legal duties to protect free speech. Universities must balance the exercise of their legal duties, including on a case-by-case basis.We expect higher education providers to be at the forefront of tackling antisemitism, making sure that higher education is a genuinely fulfilling and welcoming experience for everyone.All higher education providers should discharge their responsibilities fully and have robust policies and procedures in place to comply with the law, to investigate and swiftly address hate crime, including any antisemitic incidents that are reported. We expect higher education providers to have robust policies and procedures in place to address staff disciplinary issues.All higher education providers have procedures for handling student complaints and, if students are unhappy with their experience, they should use the processes in place to complain formally to their provider outlining their concerns. Where a student complaint cannot be resolved through the institution’s complaint processes, a student at a provider in England and Wales can ask for his or her complaint to be reviewed by an independent body, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education. Students also can and should inform the police if they believe the law has been broken.With regards to the case of Professor David Miller, universities are independent and autonomous organisations which are responsible for the management of their own affairs and for meeting their duties under the law. Accordingly, the government has not intervened directly in this case. It is the responsibility of the University of Bristol to determine whether or not Professor Miller’s remarks constitute lawful free speech. In doing so, the government’s view is that they may wish to consider, in particular, his remarks about current students at the University of Bristol. It is important to distinguish between lawful, if deeply offensive, views on the one hand, and unacceptable acts of abuse, intimidation, and violence on the other.Regardless of whether or not it is found that Professor Miller’s conduct constitutes lawful free speech, the government considers that the University of Bristol could do more to make its condemnation of that conduct clear to current and future students and to show its commitment to creating a welcoming environment for Jewish students. The government considers Professor Miller’s views to be ill-founded and wholly reprehensible, and wholeheartedly rejects them.

Ministry of Justice

Prisons: Body Searches

Lord Morrow: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to amend the Searching the Person prison service instruction (PSI 48/2010) issued on 12 October 2010, that “female prisoners, visitors and staff must only be searched by female staff”.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Prison Service Instruction PSI48/2010 Searching of the Person was replaced in 2016 by PSI07/2016 Searching of the Person. This policy, which has been in place since 1992, allows for male officers to conduct rub down searches on the same sex only and female officers to conduct rub down searches on both sexes. Full searches must only be conducted by a person of the same sex. The national policy on the searching of prisoners, staff and visitors (PSI 07/2016 – Searching of the Person) is currently under review and it is intended to publish a revised version later this year. The updated policy will also include direction on transgender staff conducting searches. This will encompass staff with or without a Gender Recognition Certificate. In reviewing the policy, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has consulted with the Government’s Legal Department and HMPPS Equalities Team. The new policy will be compliant with the Equality Act 2010, the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the European Convention of Human Rights.

Prisons: Body Searches

Lord Morrow: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether female prisoners can be searched by transgender prison staff (1) with, and (2) without, a Gender Recognition Certificate.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: In accordance with the Gender Recognition Act 2004, transgender people may apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate. Prisoners and staff members in receipt of a GRC have the legal right to be treated as their acquired gender in every respect. The national policy on the searching of prisoners, staff and visitors (PSI 07/2016 – Searching of the Person) is currently under review and it is intended to publish a revised version later this year. The updated policy will include direction on transgender staff conducting searches. This policy will encompass staff with or without a Gender Recognition Certificate. In reviewing the policy, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has consulted with the Government’s Legal Department and HMPPS Equalities Team. The new policy will be compliant with the Equality Act 2010, the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the European Convention of Human Rights.

Treasury

UK Trade with EU

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish statistics on UK–EUtrade based on information gained from the additional border checks now in place.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) are responsible for the collection and publication of data on UK imports and exports of goods to and from the UK. HMRC release this information monthly, as a National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics. UK trade data is published by HMRC via their dedicated website.

Public Sector: Equality

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to meet their obligation under the Public Sector Equality Duty to have due regard to the impact of the 2021 Budget, published on 3 March, on equality; and whether they intend to publish an equality impact assessment of the 2021 Budget.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: The measures at Budget 2021, such as the continuation of the measures to respond to the impact of COVID-19, will support many people across society and promote this government’s belief in fairness. The Treasury carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing protected characteristics, including at Budgets and other fiscal events, in line with both its legal obligations and with its strong commitment to promoting fairness. At Budget 2021, Ministers have paid such due regard to the equalities implications of their decisions and these decisions have been announced to Parliament. In interests of transparency we publish impacts in summary form for tax measures in tax information and impact notes (TIINs) alongside Finance Acts.

Financial Services: UK Relations with EU

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by EY EY Financial Services Brexit Tracker, published on 2 March; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK’s departure from the EU on (1) the transfer of assets from the UK to the EU, and (2) the UK economy.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: In November, the Chancellor set out his vision for a new chapter for the UK’s FS sector to the House of Commons. The UK’s FS sector will remain global, open and competitive, while being underpinned by high quality, agile and responsive regulation, and safe and stable markets. It will pioneer financial technology to benefit consumers and businesses, use innovation and finance to tackle climate change and move to a net-zero future.

Greensill

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government on how many occasions over the last six months ministers and civil servants in (1) the Cabinet Office, (2) HM Treasury, and (3) the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, hosted meetings with (a) Lex Greensill, or (b) representatives of Greensill Capital; and whether David Cameron was present at any of themeetings.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Senior officials and ministers routinely meet with a range of private sector stakeholders. There are robust transparency processes in place to ensure appropriate scrutiny of such meetings. Transparency releases are currently publicly available for meetings up to and including September 2020, which is in line with normal reporting timelines on disclosures. These are published on a quarterly basis, with the most recent release published in February 2021. Mr Roxburgh’s transparency release from July-September 2020 will be published shortly, but there are no meetings with either Lex Greensill or representatives of Greensill Capital to report in this release.

Credit Suisse: Greensill

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) they, (2) the Financial Conduct Authority, or (3) the Prudential Regulation Authority, have taken any action in respect of the decision by CreditSuisse Asset Management to suspend dealing in supply chain finance funds managed by Greensill Capital because of uncertainties with respect to accurate valuation.

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government which financial regulator has primary responsibility for supervising Greensill Capital and its affiliates.

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government which financial regulator has primary responsibility for supervising Greensill Capital and its affiliates.

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps(1) they, or (2) any regulators, have taken to check whether the insurance security offered to investors by Greensill Capital was reflected in the policies secured from insurers; and whether anysuch policies were written by related parties.

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps(1) they, or (2) any regulators, have taken to check whether the insurance security offered to investors by Greensill Capital was reflected in the policies secured from insurers; and whether anysuch policies were written by related parties.

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they (1) are investigating, or (2) plan to investigate,matters related to a fund managed by GAM investing in securities packaged by Greensill Capital.

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they (1) are investigating, or (2) plan to investigate,matters related to a fund managed by GAM investing in securities packaged by Greensill Capital.

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) they, or (2) any regulators, are investigating the impact onbanks and asset managers of the suspension of dealingin funds managed by Greensill Capital, and in particular the effect on banks of (a) riskconcentration limits, and (b) capital requirements.

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) they, or (2) any regulators, are investigating the impact onbanks and asset managers of the suspension of dealingin funds managed by Greensill Capital, and in particular the effect on banks of (a) riskconcentration limits, and (b) capital requirements.

Lord Agnew of Oulton: Greensill is an international group of firms, including an Australian holding company and a German bank. There are two UK entities – Greensill Capital UK and Greensill Capital Securities Limited. Greensill Capital UK is not authorised by the UK financial authorities. It is registered under Anti-Money Laundering regulations, which means that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) supervises it for compliance with anti-money laundering rules, but not for wider conduct issues. Greensill Capital Securities Limited is not authorised or supervised by the FCA but was an Appointed Representative of a regulated firm (Mirabella Advisers). An Appointed Representative is a firm or person who carries out regulated activities under the supervision of a firm directly authorised by the FCA (known as a principal firm). A principal firm is responsible for ensuring that its Appointed Representative complies with the requirements, rules and regulations of the FCA. HM Treasury has been working closely with the FCA and PRA to monitor developments and assess the implications for the financial sector, and with other government departments to understand any impacts that these developments may have on linked UK-based companies and the services they provide.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Jerusalem: Religious Buildings

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports of attacks on Christian and Muslim buildings in East Jerusalem; and what steps will they take to ensure that religious buildings are protected from such attacks.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The holy sites of Jerusalem hold particular significance for many groups around the globe, especially the three Abrahamic faiths of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. We condemn all forms of violence, including against places of worship, and raise this with the relevant authorities when necessary. In our meetings with the Israeli authorities we regularly raise the need to respect the status quo of the holy sites in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Yemen: Humanitarian Aid

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of their decision to reduce humanitarian aid to Yemen; and why they decided to reduce such aid.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is facing the worst economic contraction in over 300 years, and a budget deficit of close to £400 billion. As announced last year, given the impact of this global pandemic on the economy and, as a result, the public finances, we will move to a target of spending 0.5% of Gross National Income as Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 2021.On 1 March, the Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa announced that the UK will provide at least £87 million to Yemen over the course of our next financial year (2021/22), making us the 5th largest donor; with the UK contributing over £1 billion since the conflict began. Our funding will feed an additional 240,000 of the most vulnerable Yemenis every month, support 400 healthcare clinics and provide clean water for 1.6 million people. We will also provide one-off cash support to 1.5 million of Yemen's poorest households to help them buy food and basic supplies.An inclusive political settlement is the only way to bring long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis. We fully support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths to secure a lasting political settlement to the Yemen conflict. The Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa spoke with him on 1 March to discuss how the UK can best support the UN-led peace process.

Bahrain: Human Rights

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports that children in Bahrain have been arrested and had confessions coerced from them, what assessment they have made of the government of Bahrain's compliance with international (1) human rights law, and (2) standards in the treatment of detained children.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are following recent juvenile detention cases in Bahrain, which are pending legal proceedings, and will continue to monitor them and raise them if/when appropriate. We understand they are being supervised by social work specialists. We continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to follow due process in all cases and to meet its international and domestic human rights commitments, including in the case of juveniles.We believe the recent ratification of the Correctional Justice Act is a positive step. We note that this law will be enforced 6 months after its ratification on 18 February 2021. We understand that Article 87 will permit a Judicial Committee to hear cases and potentially replace penalties that were decided before the law was enforced. We will monitor the implementation of this new law, in light of international human rights standards.

Sayed Hasan Ameen

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have been made to the government of Bahrain to secure (1) the release of, and (2) access to medical treatment for, Sayed Hasan Ameen.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have followed the detention of Sayed Hasan Ameen who was arrested with others for arson, endangering the lives and property of others, and preparing and possessing Molotov cocktails. We understand his case is pending legal proceedings, and is being supervised by social work specialists. We will continue to monitor and raise this case if/when appropriate. The Government of Bahrain has been clear that access to medical care for those in detention is provided in line with the constitution of Bahrain.

Myanmar: Politics and Government

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they haveto encourage the UN Secretary-General to lead a high level delegation to Myanmar to exert political and diplomatic pressure on the military to (1) desist from further use of force in response to protests, (2) step down, and (3) seek a political solution that recognises the legitimate will of the people of that country as expressed in the elections in November 2020.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK values the close cooperation with ASEAN partners on this. ASEAN has an important role to play. We welcome the statement from the informal ASEAN meeting on 2 March which stressed ASEAN's commitment to seeking a resolution in line with their principles on the rule of law, good governance, and the principles of democracy and constitutional government as set out in the ASEAN charter. I formally met the Secretary General of ASEAN and discussed the UK's extreme concern regarding the military coup in Myanmar and the detention of civil society and members of the elected government.

Myanmar: Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage the Association of South-East Asian Nations to increase efforts to address the crisis in Myanmar including (1) withholding recognition of the military junta, and (2) suspending Myanmar from its membership of the organisation until a legitimate, elected, civilian-led government is restored.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK values the close cooperation with ASEAN partners on this. ASEAN has an important role to play. We welcome the statement from the informal ASEAN meeting on 2 March which stressed ASEAN's commitment to seeking a resolution in line with their principles on the rule of law, good governance, and the principles of democracy and constitutional government as set out in the ASEAN charter. I formally met the Secretary General of ASEAN and discussed the UK's extreme concern regarding the military coup in Myanmar and the detention of civil society and members of the elected government.

Eritrea: Ethiopia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the United States Secretary of State Atrocities in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region, published on 27 February;and what discussions they have had with the government of the United States about the imposition of sanctions on Eritrea until its troops have left Ethiopia.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the government of the United States' Secretary of State on 2 March about the violence in Tigray; and what steps they taking to ensure that (1) those responsible for any violence in Tigray are brought to justice, and (2) reported atrocities are brought before the UN Security Council as soon as possible.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the government of the United States' Secretary of State on 2 March about the violence in Tigray; and what steps they taking to ensure that (1) those responsible for any violence in Tigray are brought to justice, and (2) reported atrocities are brought before the UN Security Council as soon as possible.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK shares the concerns outlined by US Secretary of State Blinken in his statements of 27 February and 2 March on the reported atrocities in Ethiopia's Tigray region. The Foreign Secretary discussed the conflict in Tigray with Secretary Blinken on 25 February. The situation in Ethiopia was discussed at a closed session of the UN Security Council on 4 March. The UK has been consistent, alongside the UN and international partners including the US, in calling for the protection of civilians in Ethiopia, respect for human rights and the withdrawal of Eritrean forces. The Foreign Secretary raised the need for independent, international, investigations into allegations of human right abuses and violations when he met with Prime Minister Abiy during his visit to Ethiopia on 22 January.

China: Uighurs

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of China about (1) the BBC reporton the treatment ofUighur women in Xianjiang who said they had beensubject to sexual violence in re-education camps, published on 2 February, and (2) its decision toban BBC World News broadcasts; and what plans they have to raise these issues as abreach of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the UN Human Rights Council.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As Minister Adams said in the House of Commons on 4 February, the BBC report of 3 February includes deeply distressing testimony of the rape, torture and dehumanisation of Uyghur women in Xinjiang detention centres. It is a further, compelling addition to the growing body of evidence of the gross human rights violations being perpetrated against Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in Xinjiang. The Government has raised the specific allegations in the BBC report with the Chinese Embassy in London. The Government has also raised China's decision to ban BBC World News in mainland China - an unacceptable curtailing of media freedom - directly with the Chinese authorities.We continue to play a leading role in holding China to account for human rights violations, working closely with international partners, including at the UN. On 22 February, during his high level statement to the Human Rights Council, the Foreign Secretary underlined the need for urgent and unfettered access to Xinjiang for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights or another independent fact-finding expert.

Tigray: Crimes against Humanity

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made ofreports by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International ofatrocities in Tigray; what steps they are taking in response to the report by Amnesty International Ethiopia: The massacre in Axum, published on 26 February,which asserts that mass killingsof civilians in Axum may amount to crimes against humanity; and what steps they are taking (1) to collect evidence of any such crimes, and (2) to bring those responsible to justice.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: On 26 February the Minister for Africa stated that we are deeply saddened by the reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch on the human rights violations of civilians in Axum, Ethiopia. While the Government of Ethiopia have said that the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission will lead an independent investigation with support from the UN, we will continue to call for independent, international investigations into these and other crimes reported in Tigray, and for the Government of Ethiopia to ensure full access for human rights organisations.In a joint statement on Ethiopia with 41 other countries at the 46th Session of the Human Rights Council, we condemned in the strongest terms the reported killings of civilians. We have raised our concerns with Ethiopian Ministers, making clear the overriding need to protect civilians and adhere to international law and to international human rights law. The Minister for Africa re-enforced the urgency of the need for humanitarian access when he spoke with the Ethiopian Ambassador on 24 February.

Occupied Territories: International Criminal Court

Lord Campbell of Pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the decision by the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court Prosecution request pursuant to article 19(3) for a ruling on the Court’s territorial jurisdiction in Palestine ICC-01/18-143on 5 February that the "Court’s territorial jurisdiction in the Situation in Palestine extends to the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem", what plans they have to reaffirm their support for the International Criminal Court and its independence.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We respect the independence of the ICC, and we expect it to exercise due prosecutorial and judicial discipline.

Israeli Settlements: Palestinians

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports of attacks on Palestinian shepherds on their grazing land by armed Israeli settlers.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Whilst we have not made representations on these reports, we condemn any incidence of violence by settlers against Palestinians shepherds. We welcome the efforts of the Israeli authorities to address settler violence, and urge them to thoroughly investigate every instance and bring those responsible to justice. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Palestinians: Health Services

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 15 February (HL12870), what steps they have taken to ensure that Palestinians in territory occupied by Israel are able to access local healthcare facilities.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK regularly engages with both the Government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) on the matter of access to healthcare and will also continue to raise timely and appropriate access to COVID-19 vaccines. We remain concerned about restrictions on movement and access in Gaza, including the impact on those needing to travel outside of Gaza for medical treatment.UK aid also plays a role in delivering essential healthcare services to Palestinians. The UK provided £20 million in the financial year 2020/21 to support the PA in delivering essential healthcare services to Palestinians. This funding will help the PA support its health workers who have been on the frontline battling COVID-19 and who deliver life-saving medical services. We also provided £1.25m to the World Health Organization and UNICEF to purchase and co-ordinate the delivery of medical equipment, treat critical care patients, train frontline public health personnel and scale up laboratory testing capacity.

North Korea: Politics and Government

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their priorities in relation to North Korea.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Working to support our allies and partners, the UK is committed to securing a peaceful settlement on the Korean Peninsula, and to achieving the complete, verifiable, irreversible dismantlement of North Korea's illegal nuclear and weapons programmes. We are committed to upholding the rules-based international system and securing an end to all other illegal activities by the regime. Underlining the UK's position as a force for good, we stand up for the victims of human rights violations by the regime and are focused on the humanitarian situation following over a year of Covid-related restrictions. Following the imposition of Covid restrictions we had to withdraw all diplomatic staff from our Embassy in Pyongyang on 27 May 2020, but look forward to re-opening the Embassy as soon as it is possible and safe to do so.

Ministry of Defence

Iraq: Asylum

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the request of sanctuary in the UK from the eight Iraqi interpreters employed by TBW Global to interpret for UK forces at Camp Taji; and what steps they are taking to support those interpreters.

Baroness Goldie: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes all claims of intimidation or threats to locally recruited workers (LRWs) very seriously and as such has responded to these allegations, directly engaging with the interpreters in question. MOD has set contracting standards which require that people must be as safe and secure as reasonably possible when working in our support. We continue to hold our contractors to these high standards. As part of the MOD's own investigation a specialist investigator interviewed all eight of the LRWs. Individual risk assessments were completed, and bespoke security advice was given pertaining to their situation. Further work will now be undertaken to decide if subsequent interventions are required, however it is unlikely that the situation would warrant relocation to the UK. The contractor has also offered advice and support.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Export Health Certificates

Baroness Jolly: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what plansthey have to ensure that there are enough vets in place to create and sign off Export Health Certificates, ahead of the implementation of a new import regime.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: It is the responsibility of the exporting country to ensure they create and sign off Export Health Certificates that confirm the consignment meets our high animal and public health requirements. GB health certificates required for imports from the EU and the rest of the world have all been made available online, simplifying the EU approach to embedding them in legislation. Defra has provided £14 million in funding to Port Health Authorities to support the recruitment of staff, including Official Veterinarians, that are needed to carry out SPS checks when these goods arrive. This will include checks to ensure the goods have been certified appropriately.

Dogs: Imports

Baroness Fookes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ban the import of dogs with cropped ears.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The end of the transition period has opened up new opportunities for managing our own pet travel and commercial importation rules. We are actively listening to the concerns of stakeholders and the Government is considering options regarding the importation and commercial movements of dogs with cropped ears into Great Britain in line with World Trade Organization rules. Importers of animals must adhere to welfare standards as set out in Council Regulation (EC) 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and in domestic legislation, The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 (WATEO). This legislation aims to protect the health and welfare of animals during transportation and applies to dogs that are suffering injury as a result of non-exempted mutilations including cropped ears.

Parish Councils: Flood Control

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment theyhave made of the role that parish and community councils have played in raising awareness of (1) flood risks, and (2) flood prevention measures.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Parish and community councils can play an important role in working with local residents to improve awareness of flood risk and prevention measures. Parish Councils have powers under the Local Government Finance Act and Localism Act to incur expenditure or use precept income for the purposes of flood and coastal erosion risk management.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Baroness Worthington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review regulations regarding fluorinated gas ahead of COP26.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK has a legal requirement to review the Fluorinated Gas (F gas) Regulation and publish a comprehensive report of this review by no later than 31 December 2022. Defra is now beginning internal work on the review and intends to engage with stakeholders on this work later this year. The review will include an assessment of opportunities for faster and further action on phasing down F gases, beyond our already world leading measures, to help meet the Government’s net zero 2050 target.

Home Office

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to enforce coronavirus restrictions relating to indoor social gatherings in premisesother than (1) private dwellings, or (2) education establishments.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Illegal indoor social gatherings are unsafe and the police will continue to take the approach they have throughout the pandemic, which is to engage, explain, encourage and enforce against breaches where appropriate.The Government fully supports the police in taking swift action against egregious breaches and fixed penalty notices can be issued ranging from £200 to £6,400 to those gathering illegally in indoor premises contrary to existing regulations.

Immigration: Married People

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications for indefinite leave to remain from spouses of UK citizens are outstanding; and what is the target response time for such applications.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The normal service standard for applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain applications is six months.The Home Office publishes transparency data on the number of outstanding applications for Indefinite Leave to Remain under the spouse/partner route, the Home Office also publish transparency data on the performance against service standards for Indefinite Leave to Remain applications under the spouse/partner route. This can be found in our transparency data:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visas-and-citizenship-data-february-2021Visa and Citizenship Data - February 2021  (xlsx, 6890.4KB)

Asylum: Detainees

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they are ending pilot schemes for community-based alternatives to detention for female asylum seekers.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: As part of the Department’s immigration detention reform programme, we are conducting a series of two pilots exploring alternatives to detention. In line with international best practice, each pilot will run for two years before a final evaluation.The first of these pilots, Action Access, has provided women who would otherwise be detained with a programme of support in the community. This pilot concludes on 31 March 2021 after operating for two years. The second pilot, the Refugee and Migrant Advisory Service, is supporting both men and women and is running until June 2022.We are working with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on these pilots and they have appointed the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to independently evaluate this work. These evaluations will be published, with the evaluation report of the Action Access pilot scheduled for early Summer 2021. We will use the evaluations of these pilots to inform our future approach to case-management focused alternatives to detention.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Philippines

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to include human rights provisions in any future trade agreement between the UK and the Philippines.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: HM Government is clear that more trade does not have to come at the expense of our values. Despite our varying approach to agreements with partners, we will always have open discussions on a range of issues, including rights and responsibilities.